* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Zealand's MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #31 Date: Sunday 23rd July 2000 Editor: Alan Watson www.alan-watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editors Message 2. Interviews for "Magicana" 3. Appearing in the following countries as Charlie Chaplin 4. Artmedia Physical Theatre News 5. FISM 2000 report on our web page 6. Various tip bits of news 7. The Magic of Robert Harbin 8. Magic Circle - what a fantastic place 9. Adelaide Magic Convention 10. Kiwi Magic: New Zealand brings Hollywood to the mountain 11. FISM was probably the weakest one I've attended 12. Teatro Zinn Zanni 13. World's first Internet Magic Hall of Fame 14. Update On Dave Sheridan 15. Diarise these events 16. News Items 17. MagicNZ e-zine archives 18. Benefit of subscribing to the MagicNZ e-zine 19. Subscription Management 20. Contact Information. ------------------------------------- 1. Editors Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One The response to my question about how we can improve the e-zine was awesome (More than 100 replies). The general consensus is that the present format is ideal and I think Dan Garrett's (USA) comments below sums up the general feeling. "I really like the format as you have it. In fact, I learn about things going on in the USA (magical-wise) very often in the NZ e-zine FIRST. (For instance, the Michael Finney accident...)" Cirque Du Soleil - Journey of Man is coming to the IMAX Auckland Theatre 3D experience for more details: www.imaxnz.co.nz This mythical story is told through the acrobatic and visual theatrics of the internationally renowned circus troupe, Cirque du Soleil. Anyone involved in the entertainment industry will find this production very inspiring and Michele and I have seen it live in Las Vegas several times. Will write a further report on the IMAX experience next week after viewing this world-class production. I must compliment Paul Romhany (Charlie Chaplin) (NZ) on a recent performance I attended. He certainly has captured the essence of Charlie and is developing into a world class act. Check out Paul's website: www.charliechaplin.co.nz I have just placed a flash 4 insert (movie) into his page. (Only 10k) Met with South African magicians Dave & Weley Upfold. Dave & Wesley told me they enjoyed the opportunity to meet and take in shows of other professional magicians while here in NZ. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: alan@watson.co.nz ------------------------------------- 2. Interviews for "Magicana" ---------------------------------- Message from Michael Woolf - Editor/Publisher "Magicana" - michaelw@ihug.co.nz I've been busy this week transcribing the interviews for "Magicana", recorded at the Melbourne Convention, with Rene Lavand and Tina Lennert. Some very interesting material here. An important announcement for subscribers outside New Zealand: the last issue was late arriving: so I've made a policy decision and in future all issues of "Magicana" will be sent by FastPost - the quickest method of airmail. The extra cost will be absorbed by "Magicana." I'm doing this so that all readers can receive the magazine as quickly as possible. ---------------------------------- 3. Appearing in the following countries as Charlie Chaplin ---------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) I will be appearing in the following countries as Charlie Chaplin over the next 6 months. For more information on performance updates be sure to visit www.comic.co.nz 13th August - 24th August - Dubai - United Arab Emirates 25th August - 10th September - London 11th September - 17th September - Holland 23rd September - 5th October - New Zealand (theme park) 6th -12th October - Singapore 14th October - One show in New Zealand 16th October - LA - Hollywood Magic Castle 23rd -29th October. 2nd November - January 2001 - Singapore ---------------------------------- 4. Artmedia Physical Theatre News ---------------------------------- Message from Guy Cater (NZ) The enclosed email is an Aussie group and I just thought you might wish to send them the e-zine. www.artmedia.com.au - building a community of interest in Australian and New Zealand contemporary literary and performing arts. Dear friend Welcome to another edition of Artmedia Physical Theatre News. This newsletter now reaches almost 2,000 practitioners of physical theatre worldwide, and we particularly welcome all new members to the list, (and remind any who may wish to unsubscribe, to please follow the instructions at the bottom of this page). We invite you to put us on your e-mail list, should you have information for inclusion in future issues. With this issue we celebrate the creation of the first Australian University degree in Circus Arts, at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne, Australia. ---------------------------------- 5. FISM 2000 report on our web page ---------------------------------- Message from Tim Ellis (Aust) We have just posted our full FISM 2000 report on our web page, complete with details of all 143 competitors. Check it out in the MAGICIANS ONLY section of our website. http://www.MagicUnlimited.com ---------------------------------- 6. Various tip bits of news ---------------------------------- Message from Paul Gordon (UK) Various tit bits of news: 1) Chazpro Magic Co (chazpro@aol.com) are now handling BOTH NTSC & PAL versions of my video; Powerful Impromptu Card Magic. 2) My new booklet on the jogshuffle is available. Details from: viallupade@btinternet.com. This is the ULTIMATE work on the jogshuffle! 3) Paul Gordon and Chazpro Magic co have re-released Roger Crosthwaite's book & companion video; Roger's Real Gone Aces. See: www.chazpro.com for details 4) Paul Gordon web site has moved to: www.TheBestInMagic.co.uk ---------------------------------- 7. The Magic of Robert Harbin ---------------------------------- Message from Don Drake - DONDRAKE@aol.com (USA) I don't know the number, but Gary Darwin of Las Vegas, NV USA has one of the originals. ------------------------------------- 8. Magic Circle - what a fantastic place ------------------------------------- Message from Nick Nickolas (NZ) Well I just have been to the new Magic Circle and what a fantastic place it is. It has the biggest magic library in the world over 30,000 books, an amazing museum with all the things displayed so as not to reveal the secrets also have meet the Magic Circle guided tours at the moment for the public, also a lovely theatre, and many different close up rooms. In the main room, the David Devant room there is a display of some of Maskelynn's props with an inscription on a plaque saying dedicated to Jon Zealando....well done Jon. The place is far better than the old Chenies Mewes location ....check it out when your'e next over. ------------------------------------- 9. Adelaide Magic Convention ------------------------------------- Message from Roy J Hopwood - hopwood147@bigpond.com (Aust) Just a short message to let you know that we are planning to hold the next Adelaide Magic Convention over the Adelaide Labour Day long weekend 2001. (i.e. start Friday night 28 September and concluding on Sunday 30 September 2001). Planning is in the early stages at this time but you can guarantee that as usual it will be a friendly get together with plenty of fun and surprises. We will let you know more details as they become available. Oh! Yes! We will be trying to keep the cost as low as possible. ------------------------------------- 10. Kiwi Magic: New Zealand brings Hollywood to the mountain ------------------------------------- Message from Riley G (USA) Article appeared in: "The Hollywood Reporter" (Tues., July 18, 2000) By Philip Wakefield They haven't begun construction of a new Hollywood sign yet on the steep hills that encircle New Zealand's capital city of Wellington, but it wouldn't be surprising if they did. Wellington is hometown to Peter Jackson, the writer, director and producer of the mega-Middle Earth trilogy "The Lord of the Rings," a special effects-laden retelling of the J.R.R. Tolkien saga that first captivated millions of fable readers in the '60s, before Dungeons and Dragons and well before Harry Potter.................... Jackson, known for his stop-motion animation work and direction of fantasy-genre films such as 1996's "Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners," likes to work at home. He has made Wellington the production base for not one but three full-length "Rings" features, with the hotly anticipated first tome, "The Fellowship of the Ring," set for release at Christmas in 2001, "The Two Towers" in 2002 and "The Return of the King" in 2003. No one can mistake the come-hither Hollywood sentiment of Wellington's film-friendly mayor, Mark Blumsky. He reckons not just his city but this South Pacific country of fewer than 4 million people is poised to become an international moviemaking landmark. "We have to attract people to make films in New Zealand because it's great value to do business here and because we've got the skills," he told 300 film and TV industry figures at a function he hosted last month to celebrate the city's 45% share of Kiwi film production. As an example of New Zealand's developing "world-renowned expertise," he cited Hollywood interest in Jackson's special effects company, Weta. "On my last trip to L.A., Sony hosted me for half a day and showed me around the 'Stuart Little' production. But what they really wanted to know was how they could connect with Weta. They were really aware of Weta and were hugely impressed with the work they'd heard Weta was doing." Effects guru Jackson comes across no less than modest when he describes the credentials, talent and vision of the filmmaker who is best equipped to bring Tolkien's densely populated, elf-, goblin- and wraith-infested mythological universe to the screen as none other than ... Jackson. "The responsibility of bringing this world to the screen visually is obviously enormous," he proclaims on a movie-in-the-making teaser trailer that has already been gobbled up by the hordes of young Internet denizens who create buzz about fantasy projects. "The technology has caught up with the incredible imagination that Tolkien injected into this story of his." "Rings" features Elijah Wood as the young hero Frodo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey and a supporting cast that includes Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Ian Holm, Sean Astin and Cate Blanchett. Excitement over "The Lord of the Rings" may have virtually turned Wellington into Jackson-ville but the $165.6 million epic isn't the only offshore shoot pumping millions into New Zealand's economy. In the same city, British-founded Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment has just notched up 300 hours of international TV production worth more than $60 million, while further north, in the country's biggest population center, Auckland, Pacific Renaissance Pictures has spent about $160 million making 288 hours of shows such as "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," "Xena: Warrior Princess," "Jack of All Trades" and "Cleopatra 2525." Not surprisingly, the most recent production survey by the Screen Producers and Directors Assn. found the proportion of foreign funding of the industry is increasing relative to domestic funding. For the year ending March 1999, foreign exchange earnings were up 68%, to $71.3 million. Most of this was production investment rather than film or TV program sales, with the United States and the United Kingdom continuing to be the main sources. Moreover, the survey period didn't cover production of New Line's "The Lord of the Rings" or Sony's mountain adventure "The Vertical Limit," which was helmed by ex-pats -- director Martin Campbell ("The Mask of Zorro," "GoldenEye") and producer Lloyd Phillips ("The Edge," "12 Monkeys"). "Limit," which stars Chris O'Donnell, Bill Paxton, Scott Glenn and New Zealander Temuera Morrison ("Once Were Warriors"), has been described as "a 'Cliffhanger' with brains" by local wags. It's about a mountain climber who rescues his sister on the extreme heights of K2, the world's second-highest mountain, with New Zealand's Southern Alps standing in for the Himalayas. A source close to the production puts the budget for the action thriller at more than $100 million. According to SPADA chief executive Jane Wrightson, "The inclusion of these two productions in next year's survey should see a billion-dollar industry." It's unlikely to be sustained once "Rings" wraps late this year or early next (even though, in an unusual departure for a Hollywood project, it will be post-produced here). But Wrightson believes the industry should generate an optimal annual production spend of between $230 million and $460 million. Reasons for this include the SPADA-run locations office, Film NZ, negotiating for "several smaller but substantial" offshore shoots to take "Rings' " place, and a buoyant domestic industry -- TV networks are cranking up local content on the eve of quotas being introduced. And this month a new, government-backed $23 million film fund became operational. The aim of the fund is to retain talent here by allowing filmmakers with one feature under their belt to make subsequent movies with bigger budgets, albeit minuscule by world standards -- $2.3 million. But the hope is it will lead to a new generation of Peter Jacksons who can draw Hollywood investment and expertise. "New Zealand doesn't necessarily want to attract big-budget Hollywood projects," Film Commission marketing vet Lindsay Shelton says, asserting that "Rings" is a Kiwi project with U.S. backing. "What we are looking for is Hollywood money to finance the projects that talented New Zealanders want to make." Even so, it's debatable "Rings" would have been shot here if not for a tax loophole, since closed, that allowed foreign studios and financiers to fund projects using taxpayers' money instead of the original investment. In effect, it meant a $45 million production could get a $15 million tax credit. The Sam Raimi-Rob Tapert partnership of Pacific Renaissance Pictures was able to benefit from the same break, although publicly the producers say financial incentives were secondary to New Zealand's suitability as a mythical backdrop to "Hercules" and "Xena." Co-executive producer Eric Gruendemann, who recently returned to the United States after a seven-year stint with the two shows, cites the low New Zealand dollar, the film industry infrastructure and talent base and "superb locations" as the chief reasons for coming here in 1993 and employing 500 local cast and crew -- about 12.5% of the screen production work force -- at any one time. "There are no cons, only pros about shooting in New Zealand," Gruendemann says, with a bullish assessment of the Kiwi film industry. "It doesn't need offshore shoots necessarily to survive but it would need enough local productions that are funded properly in order to keep the skills base up and keep people interested. "If people are out of work for a while, they're going to do something else or go somewhere else. And if good people go somewhere else, then it's bad for the industry," he says. Film NZ also is acutely aware it would be bad for the industry if New Zealand were considered just a low-wage territory right for exploitation. It positions the country as a "unique boutique destination ... the Harrods of the film and TV world" rather than one where telefilms come and shoot for only seven days without developing industry skills or infrastructure. Insists Wrightson: "We want projects that will increase our technical strengths, provide a variety of work and not be exploitative." Kiwi boosters like Wellington mayor Blumsky argue Film NZ should be more aggressively promoting New Zealand as a location. Gruendemann, who says he gets calls "all the time" from other producers wanting to know about the island nation, agrees. "If your priority is to try to be film friendly, then I think you really need to be aggressively film friendly. You can't just say, 'Hey, this is a great place to shoot, mate -- come on down!' " But others, ranging from veteran New Zealand producer John Barnett of South Pacific Pictures to Briton Ray Thompson of Cloud 9, are more cautionary. Barnett, who runs the country's biggest film and TV production house, acknowledges "Rings" has been of "enormous" significance to the industry, both in terms of employment, particularly in the effects and art departments, and boosting credibility for filmmakers at home and abroad. But he points out the downside has been using New Zealand's tax base to fund it, its lack of N.Z. heads of departments and "real N.Z." decision-making and its inflation of crew wages and expectations. "It has created false expectations about the sustainability of similar-size production in Wellington and New Zealand," Barnett says. "Production will still only come here if it suits the story. 'Rings' and 'The Vertical Limit' had unique characteristics that brought them here." He doubts if "Rings" offers long-term opportunities for the industry. "As most of the heads of department are foreign and the project is specific to the original book and heavily f/x-based, many people don't link this to our own local talent and ideas," he says. Meanwhile, Cloud 9's Thompson, who has been here for six years, likens the New Zealand film industry to "Hollywood in the '20s" but thinks touting for offshore shoots is short-sighted and risky when the effort would be better spent investing in training and alternative means of funding so the returns don't all flow out of the country. Cloud 9 uses a revolving production fund to make its family-oriented TV programs, the most successful of which, "The Tribe," has been commissioned for a third series of 52 half-hour episodes by Britain's Channel 5. "You can't build an industry on 12-week shoots," Thompson says. "They're artificial and create a false economy. New Zealand is increasingly being recognized as a viable location, but it's a defeatist attitude to ask film companies to come here because it's tantamount to saying we don't have an industry of our own." Riley G SAG / AFTRA http://www.rileyg.com/resume.htm ------------------------------------- 11. FISM was probably the weakest one I've attended ------------------------------------- Message from Dan Garrett, MIMC (USA) Carol and I just returned from 3 weeks in the Iberian Peninsula, touring Spain and Portugal. I just got in last night. One of the tour highlights was the "world magic congress" held once every 3 years (F.I.S.M.), which is a French acronym translating to "The International Federation of Magic Societies." FISM was probably the weakest one I've attended (we were in Yokohama, Japan in 1994 and Dresden, Germany in 1997). The Grand Prix winner was a comedy act (1st time in the long history of FISM this has happened.) That final evening dinner and show was at Sony Plaza at the Expo '98 grounds in Lisbon. It must have been a good idea on paper, but the execution and the show were complete disasters. "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?" But we saw MANY friends in magic from all over the world, and getting a chance to say hello to hundreds of them again (all in the same place) was worth its weight in gold. That's why we don't miss FISM every 3 years. And there were some FANTASTIC magic acts, just not as many as we are used to seeing at FISM. Our side tours of Portugal and Spain were great. This past weekend I worked a great little magic nightclub in Madrid called La Cripta Magica. I also won over twenty grand playing blackjack in a casino in Costa del Sol in the south of Spain, on the Meditteranean. (20,000+ Spanish pesetas... (:}D) which is really about $150 in dollars). Carol got to play golf once in Lisbon (while I watched magic all day), but we both played in Costa del Sol, a nice golf club near Valderrama. I'm off next weekend to perform and lecture in Kouvola, Finland (the Finnland Magic Days convention). Also performing are Simo Alto, Michael Ammar, and the Moretti's. Keep in touch, Alan. Glad to hear you and your daughters and their babies are OK after your frightening experience on the motorway. ------------------------------------- 12. Teatro Zinn Zanni ------------------------------------- Message from Sam Angelico (Aust) I'm well and in San Francisco for 6 months till November as part of Teatro Zinn Zanni. ------------------------------------- 13. World's first Internet Magic Hall of Fame ------------------------------------- Message from Jan & Steve Dacri (USA) Back in the USofA..... Jan & I just returned from our European adventure. It began in London, with a visit to the world famous headquarters or The Magic Circle, with an invitation from the president of the Circle, Michael Bailey to visit and film the wonderful clubhouse and one of a kind magic museum. We shot incredible footage, which will end up on the Web at hatsandrabbits.com (watch for it!) Then we taped a fabulous interview with Michael Bailey. Insightful, entertaining and fun. Michael is delightful, a great friend, and very knowledgeable guy. Portions of this interview will also be seen on hatsandrabbits.com VERY SOON! After London, it was off to Lisbon, Portugal where the World Magic Congress was being held. For those of you who don't know, this is FISM (Federation of International Societies of Magic), the world's largest magic gathering and worldwide competition, held every 3 years. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with magicians from all over the world. I also saw friends and fellow magicians whom I hadn't seen in many years (too many years), and, as the official "Web Host", I taped interviews with many of them. These interviews and magic performances will be edited into features that will be seen on hatsandrabbits.com in the near future. Stay tuned! We chose this worldwide magic gathering to introduce the new magic web channel to the magic fraternity. We maintained a large exhibit booth, complete with computers, which allowed visitors to check out the site, which although is not really open yet, but under construction. Much of it should be ready by Sept. Feel free to check it out. You can click around and have a look at the many exciting features, which will be available to all magic enthusiasts. There will also be many features, which will only be available to real magicians, password protected, to keep the real secrets out of the hands of the "merely curious". I am happy to say that the response to this massive undertaking was over whelming positive. Others have tried to accomplish this, but this will be the world's largest. And it would not be possible without the support and money behind it that we have. The world of magic needs this site. Think about it: a web channel devoted to everything in the magic community. Visitors can learn about magic, search for magicians, check out the latest magic products and books, and even learn how to perform magic, with all skill levels available to both the casual performer and the professionals. We are assembling an esteemed group of magicians to act as "magic advisors" for the site. Many of magic's "elite" has already agreed to join our panel, including Mark Wilson, Milt Larsen, Gay Blackstone, Billy McComb, Jon Racherbaumer, "Obie" O'Brien, Paul Daniels, and many others. Their input and guidance will help turn this wonderful idea into the world's largest magic web channel, designed to further the art of magic and make all things magical available to magicians and magic enthusiasts the world over. Visitors to the site will be able to watch magic performances, search for magicians and magic products, learn magic through the world's first Global Online Magic School, and enjoy the world of magic and be a part of the magic brotherhood. It's a very exciting project, which will truly be the future of all things magic. Please take a moment to check out the site, if you haven't already. It's very cool, and as I mentioned, it is not really open yet, but you can still click around it and have a look at the many features, which will be functional in Sept. and shortly thereafter. Any thoughts or comments are welcome, and any suggestions you may have for the site are encouraged. You may also want to check out stevedacri.com, which is not complete yet, but open for you to look over. In closing, I want to thank everyone for the support and advice that arrives every day in may email box. While in Lisbon, we offered visitors to the hatsandrabbits.com booth a free lifetime membership, and I want to extend that offer to you as well. If you wish, drop me an email and we will provide you with the same offer: free lifetime membership, which means you will never have to pay to access the many features, the library of magic performances and interviews, and other cool features once the site becomes fully functional. (Memberships will cost $29. per year otherwise). The goal of the site, to further awareness and interest in the art of magic, will include the world's first Internet Magic Hall of Fame, and visitors to the site will be able to nominate and vote for magicians, from the past and present, to be inducted. This will be a very special way for magicians to be recognized for their contributions to the art. We will keep you posted on upcoming television appearances and events, which we are planning to publicize this new venture. ------------------------------------- 14. Update On Dave Sheridan ------------------------------------- Message from Guy Cater (NZ) PCShinehead is now out of hospital and well on the way to recovery. His stroke was a minor one but a great lesson for him and us. His lifestyle will have to change and his diet is the first thing he has had to rearrange. No problem there, he is doing well with that. Other habits are more difficult to stop. Like smoking!!! Poor old Dave is having problems giving up smoking. At age 50 and having smoked cigarettes since he was 13, the cigarette manufacturers have really done their job in getting Dave hooked. He has a craving that he is unable to deny himself although he has cut down and I'm sure will eventually give up completely ... but it is going to be difficult. He is on daily pills and medication but thinks he will be well enough to perform again in a couple of weeks. If you want to give him a call to say hello, you can do so on Auckland 446 6661. ------------------------------------- 15. Diarise these events ------------------------------------- Sunday 22nd October - IBM Ring 160 Day of magic - Auckland Thursday 12th - 16th April (Easter) 2001 - 26th New Zealand Magicians' Convention - Christchurch If you require more information about the above events go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive to research for more information. ------------------------------------- 16. News Items ------------------------------------- If you have any news items that you feel the majority of our subscribers would be interested in please e-mail me so I can include them in the next e-zine. The magician who e-mails me a particular news item FIRST will receive full credit at the top of that item. If the news is of major importance I will send them out immediately as a Newsflash. ------------------------------------- 17. MagicNZ e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: ezine Password: magicwand When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001nov6.txt first three numbers denote issue number then the date. ------------------------------------- 18. Benefit of subscribing to the MagicNZ e-zine ------------------------------------- You will now be informed well in advance of coming events and kept right up to date with the latest news. MagicNZ e-zine is published weekly, late on Sunday night. ------------------------------------- 19. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the MagicNZ e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors. Neither MagicNZ nor Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via MagicNZ e-zine. We reserve the right to correct any errors or omissions as we see fit. >> This publication may be freely redistributed to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY << (c) Copyright 2000 Alan Watson ------------------------------------- 20. Contact Information ------------------------------------- Alan Watson Ph. (9) 483-9274 Fax. (09) 483-9274 Mobile 025 95-7070 e-mail alan@watson.co.nz www.magician.co.nz www.magicianz.com